CHTA Monthly Newsletter – August 2014

Early Registration Opens Aug. 12 For Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2015 At The Puerto Rico Convention Center Early bird registration for Caribbean Travel Marketplace will open Aug. 12. Members are advised to keep a look-out for an email notification which will provide a link to early registration on this date. The region’s largest and most important marketing event will be held Jan. 28-30, 2015 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan. Early bird supplier registration packages start at $1,339 for a small booth with one delegate and schedule, $2,568 for a large booth with two delegates and two schedules, and $2868 for a mega booth with two delegates and two schedules. Hotels with 75 rooms or less and attractions can take advantage of the shared booth option at $939, which includes one delegate and one schedule. These fees are available until Sept. 4. Caribbean Travel Marketplace is organized by CHTA, the Puerto Rico Destination Team, comprised of the Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association (PRHTA), the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) and Meet Puerto Rico along with Host Sponsors and Strategic Partners Interval International, MasterCard and TravelZoo. Full event details can be accessed here. Companies interested in sponsoring Caribbean Travel Marketplace should email Deborah Sas or call 305-443-3040. CHTA President Emil Lee Selects Clarisa Jimenez, Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association, & Jose Rivera Campos, AMResorts, As Regional Vice Presidents Read More Register for CHICOS 2014 – Nov. 13-14, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Punta Cana Read More New in the CHTA Data Center • STR – Caribbean Lodging Performance Report – June 2014 • STR – Pipeline Report – June 2014 • CTO – Statistical Analysis – June 2014 • Anguilla Tourism Statistics Summary Report – June 2014 • Aruba Tourism Industry Status – June 2014 • Dominican Republic Statistics – April & May 2014 • Dominica Republic Statistic Bulletin #144 – June 2104 • St. Lucia Tourist Arrivals – June 2014 • Puerto Rico Tourism Statistics – April 2014 • USVI STR Lodging Report – June 2014 The above reports and more can be found in the CHTA Data Center. National Hotel Association News CHTA’s George deMercado Attends Suriname Hotel Association Meeting To Assist With Developing Organization Focusing on its commitment to strengthen the individual National Hotel Associations (NHAs), CHTA Director of Membership Development George deMercado made a presentation at a recent Suriname Hotel Association meeting on how to create an effective hotel association and discussed the benefits of joining CHTA. In addition to deMercado, Lizanne Dindial, president and CEO of the Curacao Hospitality & Tourism Association (CHATA), and Miles Mercera, CHATA’s marketing and product director, participated to lend their support to an association with similar Dutch heritage and culture as well as membership size. For more, click here (Source: press release). George deMercado Participates in Trinidad & Tobago Membership MeetingsRead More Antigua Hotels & Tourist Association Offers Food & Beverage Management Training Read More Leadership 21 – Lead The Change You Want To See Read More Industry Information Why Gen X Travelers Could Be a Marketing Opportunity  Shullman Pulse has released a new study pointing to the potential of marketing to Gen X travelers, particularly those in the affluent market.  Upscale Gen-X’ers have different interests, goals, and concerns compared with the other generations.  Affluent Gen-X’ers are planning significant expenditures. Traveling for pleasure tops the list among all adults with 65% of upscale Gen-X’ers planning travel for pleasure, compared with just more than half of mass-market Gen-X’ers. Luxury purchasing is also in the plans of half of the upscale Gen-X’ers, compared with less than one third of their mass-market generational peers. For more, click here (Source: Travel Agent Central). CTO’s State of the Industry Conference To Address “Breaking Down Barriers To Travel: Visas & Taxes” Read More The Business of Tourism: Tourism and Economic Citizenship Read More Delta, American Airlines To Add More Flights to Antigua Read More CHTA Education Foundation Donations Needed For Silent Auction Benefiting CHTAEF Scholarship Fund The CHTA Education Foundation is accepting donations of hotel stays and other prizes from allied members for its annual silent auction at The New York Times Travel Show which benefits the CHTAEF scholarship program. This year donations for The New York Times Travel Show need to be submitted earlier as the tradeshow is scheduled Jan. 23-25, 2015 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. To make a donation, complete thedonation form and send via email or fax to 305-716-9138. Strategic Partners CHTA Strategic Partner, Interval International, Extends Discounted Registration for CHTA Members at Shared Ownership Investment Conference in Miami Beach, Florida, Oct. 13 – 14 Discover why shared ownership improves occupancy and generates revenue, learn about vacation trends in the current economy and meet valuable industry contacts, including developers, lenders and timeshare experts at the 16th annual Shared Ownership Investment Conference (SOIC) at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach in Florida, from Oct. 13 – 14. Keynote speaker Kelly McDonald, author of How to Market to People Not Like You: Know It or Blow It Rules for Reaching Diverse Customers, will deliver savvy advice on how businesses can differentiate themselves from a sea of sameness. Participants will share insights and make valuable contacts with developers, hoteliers, lenders and investors, vacation ownership experts, and government tourism officials. CHTA Members enjoy a preferential registration fee of 20% off the standard rate per delegate when using promotional code “CHTA”. Additional discounts may apply for international attendees. Click here for more information about the conference, call toll-free 877-700-1153 (outside toll-free limits, call 305-668-3495), email information@sharedownershipinvestment.com, or visit www.sharedownershipInvestment.com and enter the promotional code CHTA when registering online. MasterCard Study Reveals Punta Cana As The Destination With The Highest International Tourism Spend In Latin American And The Caribbean (LAC) Read More 6 Ways For Hotel Marketers To Keep An Eye On Their Comp Set Read More Members Corner Regional Business Systems, Inc. Offers Special Pricing On Electronic Safes & Hotel Locks For Small Property Members CHTA member Regional Business Systems, Inc. is offering special pricing on electronic safes and hotel locks for independent member hotels with 50 rooms or less. Safes are available for a 25% discount while hotel locks are discounted between 10% – 60% depending on the style selected. The company is also offering a free laptop so an additional computer is not required to run or program the lock system. View the electronic safe flyer and hotel locks flyer for details. Contact Esther Belle 246-426-1510 or email ebelle@kensingtoncourt.com. Save Up To 30% With Hcareers.com Read More CHTA Monthly News is produced by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association for its members and stakeholders. Please submit all comments tocommunication@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com Changes in your email address or membership information should be addressed tomembership@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com CHTA Monthly News may contain advertisements.